RTI: Response to Intervention

The long days of summer are here: kids sporting shorts and crocks, with pool towels slung over their shoulders and sunscreen stuffed in their pockets. But, before you know it, you'll be standing in a long line of parents to purchase the dreaded school supplies and gasping at the cost of clothing for your ever-sprouting kiddo.

With so much to prepare for in the 2008-2009 school year, we know that the last thing on your mind will be the implementation of new regulations that will be put into effect at your child's school. But, if you’re the parent of a child with learning needs, you will want to take time during the summer break to familiarize yourself with the latest trend in Intervention Services: RTI: Response to Intervention. RTI sounds scary and packed with unknowns; something of a pain and another hurdle to manipulate to receive services for your child. But, take heart. Even though the RTI project is in its infancy, it is being promoted as the new way to look at services for ALL students.

Students that are currently on an IEPs or 504 Plans, will probably not notice the effect of RTI right away, but the student that falls between the cracks and does not qualify for special education services or intervention plans, will be the beneficiary of this new service model.

RTI is an effort to do away with "labels" and judge the student based on individual progress, while focusing on student outcomes. It involves a universal screening of all children, along with monitoring the students' progress using the outcomes from the accumulated testing data. A decision regarding the type of instruction and intervention that the student will need is then a "data-based" decision.

Core instruction and student data will be components of the information collected. Defining the problem will involve analysis of why the student may be struggling and not meeting the behavior or achievement requirements of their peers and what skills the student and lacks. An implementation plan will then be developed and put into action for the student. The student will be monitored on a frequent basis (daily for some students) to determine if the intervention is working or if another design needs to be in place for that student. The intervention must be achievement-based for that student.

The old method of procuring the much-needed educational services for your child was based on whether your child qualified for "disability-based" services. With the new RTI program, the school administration will only look at "what the student needs to succeed".

Districts will be required to realign their resources and evaluation plans to adjust for the provision of the RTI program. It will be an infrastructure remodeling for each school and teachers within that district. Building level leadership will be crucial and the involvement of teachers, service providers, specialists and parents will be a must! Professional development will be provided at the district and building levels and teachers will be trained on data collection and analysis. RTI is projected to utilize a simple and time-efficient method of data collection and analysis to prevent encumbering the teachers with more daily workload. Teaching teams will then meet and determine the types of instruction to be used for the classroom and to develop a master schedule of subject matter. Transition to middle and high school will address each child's learning needs by preparing kids ahead of time and having them ready to move forward.

Interventions that have not been successful in the past will be eliminated and RTI will be substituted by blending and integrating the service delivery of the school. The interventions must be implemented correctly and with integrity to work.

In summary, RTI is the framework for progress that addresses the challenges of the individual student. Leadership in the infrastructure of the district is crucial and must be maintained in order for the program to be effective for all students. Your state Department of Education will have information available to you through their individual websites and the internet produces a wealth of RTI information and guidance, as well as training for professionals.

There will still be many "unknowns" and if you, as the parent, are feeling unsure about how this will affect services for your child with special needs, we at K12 Advocates are always available to assist you and answer your questions. Feel free to contact us through our Blog site for more information. Just sign up and post your inquiries or questions.

For Information & seminars regarding RTI, contact www.RTInetwork.org